


for the kids back home (part 3)

by batyatoon



Series: for the kids back home [3]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 07:26:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1296460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batyatoon/pseuds/batyatoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Many thanks and much love to M. for a brainstorming session that provided some much-needed clarity and illumination, and to A. for a masterful eleventh-hour beta reading that fixed some pacing problems, tidied up some awkward phrasing, and helped add a vital scenelet.</p></blockquote>





	for the kids back home (part 3)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amoama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amoama/gifts).



In the dream I’m in the arena.

Deep in the woods, like the woods back home, past the fence. I should be scared, but I’m not; there are flowers here, and birds that sing, and I’m not here alone. We’re hiding, the two of us, and we’re safe.

 _You sleep_ , Katniss says. _I’ll be here in the morning._

 _We need to climb a tree_ , I remind her. _Like you did before. We’ll be safer in a tree._

She chuckles, and waves to the closest tree, and says _go ahead_. And it’s the easiest thing in the world, like I’ve done it my whole life, flitting up like a bird. I reach the nest of leaves at the very top, and lean down to wave to her, to come follow me up.

Rue waves back from the bottom of the tree, and raises her head to whistle to the sky, and the mockingjays answer.

* * *

* * *

The screen focuses tightly on one patch of ground as Rue steps into it, and I hear Gale's harsh gasp a moment before I recognize the concealed net for what it is -- which is only a split second before it closes on her. The visual splits, three frames spinning outward to show us three overlapping scenes: Rue entangled in the net and screaming, Katniss hearing her and breaking into a run, the boy from District One closing on his trap.

Someone in the room with me is shouting the word _no_ over and over, interspersed with Katniss’s name. _Katniss will stop him_ , I hear myself thinking, strangely clear and calm, _Katniss will shoot him before he can hurt her_.

And Katniss does shoot him. But not before he can hurt her.

It’s horrible, feeling grief and relief both so strongly, both at the same time. It hurts so much, watching Rue fumble for Katniss’s hand, whisper _you have to win_ , close her eyes while Katniss sings her the old lullaby I know so well.

And at the same time thinking, _at least this means Katniss won’t die because of her_. She won’t die from forgetting that she and Rue would have to turn on each other, if they were the last two left. Or from running into danger for her, or stepping up to take her place, like she would for me. Like she did for me.

Horrible as they are, the grief and the relief both make sense. What doesn’t make sense, what’s even more horrible, is the sudden twisting ache of jealousy. How can I be jealous of Rue in this moment? She’s _dying_.

But she's dying with Katniss holding her, and I don't know if Katniss will ever hold me again.

 _You have to win_ , she says.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks and much love to M. for a brainstorming session that provided some much-needed clarity and illumination, and to A. for a masterful eleventh-hour beta reading that fixed some pacing problems, tidied up some awkward phrasing, and helped add a vital scenelet.


End file.
